CN102418762B - Gas spring and engine hood unit with the gas spring - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas spring and a hood unit having the gas spring, in particular, a coupling element having a barrel housing is arranged at a first end and a coupling element having a barrel housing is arranged at a free end of a piston rod for receiving a ball head, wherein at least one of the two barrel housings comprises a ball seat having a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent, and the longitudinal extent is greater than the transverse extent. The invention further relates to a hood unit having a hood which is pivotably articulated to the body of a vehicle by means of at least one hinge device, having at least one actuator which can be activated upon detection of a collision with a pedestrian for lifting the hood into a protective position, having a gas spring according to the invention arranged parallel to the actuator.

Description

Gas spring and engine hood unit with the gas spring

technical field

The invention relates to a gas spring (Gasfeder) with: a central longitudinal axis; a first end; a cylinder (Zylinder) filled with a fluid (Fluid); a piston arranged displaceable in the cylinder, the The piston divides the cylinder into a first cylinder cavity near the first end and a second cylinder cavity away from the first end; and a piston rod arranged at the piston passes through the second cylinder cavity and Concentric to the central longitudinal axis, it emerges from the cylinder at a second end opposite the first end in such a manner that it is sealed by a guide and sealing device.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a hood unit (Motorhaubeneinheit) with a hood (Motorhaube) that is pivotally articulated (anlenken) at the vehicle body by means of at least one hinge device (Scharniereinrichtung), the The bonnet has at least one actuator that can be activated upon detection of a collision with a pedestrian for raising the bonnet into a protective position.

Contents of the invention

The object of the invention is, on the one hand, to realize a gas spring which provides an idle travel over a fixed distance when an additional force is induced in the direction of extension of the gas spring which exceeds the extension force of the gas spring.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by arranging at the first end a and a coupling element with a barrel housing arranged at the free end of the piston rod for accommodating a ball head (Kugelkopf), wherein at least one of the two barrel housings comprises a ball seat (Kugelpfanne) , the ball seat has a longitudinal extension and transverse stretch (Querausdehnung), and the longitudinal stretch is greater than the transverse stretch.

According to the invention, the spring clip protrudes into the ball seat with its free end through the lead-through slot (Durchführschlitze) to such an extent that the spring clip sticks in such a way that the ball head is loaded into the ball seat. On the ball head, the spring clip is designed so wide along the central longitudinal axis that the ball pin is arranged in the ball socket so that it can be displaced along the central longitudinal axis relative to the spring clip.

Alternatively, the spring clip protrudes into the ball seat with its free end through the lead-through slot to such an extent that the spring clip bears against the ball head in such a way that the ball head is loaded into the ball seat , wherein the spring clip is configured so wide along the central longitudinal axis that the spring clip is arranged, together with the ball pin, to be displaceable relative to the bucket housing along the central longitudinal axis.

Furthermore, the object of the invention is achieved in that a locking element with at least one elastic tongue is arranged at the first end, wherein the first end of the cylinder and the locking element can be pushed into the upper tube together until the at least one elastic tongue snaps into a notch associated with the elastic tongue in the upper tube, and the cylinder is arranged to be movable along the middle longitudinal axis relative to the The upper tube shifts.

On the other hand, another object of the present invention is to provide a hood unit with improved crash protection for pedestrians.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the gas spring according to the invention being arranged parallel to the actuator.

It is provided according to the invention that the gas spring supports the opening of the engine hood in the first operating state.

Furthermore, it is provided according to the invention that in a second operating state which corresponds to a detected collision with a pedestrian, the gas spring damps the opening movement of the bonnet into the protective position.

Description of drawings

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and explained further below. Wherein: Fig. 1 has shown the sectional view of piston cylinder assembly (Kolben-Zylinderaggregat) according to the present invention,

Figures 2a to 2c show the coupling elements of the piston-cylinder assembly shown in Figure 1,

Figures 3a and 3b show another coupling element of the piston-cylinder assembly shown in Figure 1,

4a and 4b show a further embodiment of the piston-cylinder unit according to the invention in longitudinal section.

Fig. 5 shows an example of application of the piston-cylinder assembly according to the present invention in a motor vehicle.

List of reference numerals

1 cylinder

2 pistons

3 first cylinder chamber

4 second cylinder chamber

5 piston rings

6 axial grooves

7 first end

8 threaded pin (Gewindezapfen)

9 coupling elements

10 fixing pins

11 chambers

12 piston rod

13 sealing and guiding unit

14 second end

15 threaded sections

16 coupling elements

17 barrel casing

18 chambers

19 tees

19a longitudinal extension

19b Lateral Stretch

20 lead-in opening

21 ball head

22 ball pin

23 pins

24 Lead-in notches (Zuführschlitze)

25 threading slots

26 elastic clips

27 free end

28 curved section

29 locking bump

30 stop element

31 elastic tongue

32 top tube

33 notches

34 coupling elements

35 hood

36 actuators

detailed description

The piston-cylinder assembly shown in FIG. 1 is configured as a gas spring with a cylinder 1 in which a piston 2 is arranged axially displaceable, which piston 2 places the cylinder 1 in the The pressurized gas-filled interior is divided into a first cylinder chamber 3 and a second cylinder chamber 4 . The piston 2 can have an overflow hole in the form of a through hole Or flow down in at least one direction as shown here The piston ring 5. Furthermore, at least one axial groove 6 can be formed in the cylinder 1 , through which a fluid can flow around the piston 2 .

On the side of the first cylinder chamber 3, the cylinder 1 has a closed first end 7 at which a threaded pin 8 is arranged concentrically with the middle longitudinal axis A of the cylinder 1 . The coupling element 9 is screwed onto the threaded pin 8 with a receiving chamber 11 formed in the fastening pin 10 . Arranged at the piston 2 is a piston rod 12 which extends concentrically to the central longitudinal axis A through the second cylinder chamber 4 and is connected via a sealing and guiding unit 13 at the second end opposite the first end 7 . The two ends 14 are drawn out from the cylinder body 1 . A threaded section 15 is formed on the free end of the piston rod 12 outside the cylinder 1 , onto which a further coupling element 16 is screwed.

As shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 a , 2 b and 2 c , the coupling element 16 has a bucket housing 17 . A receiving chamber 18 is formed in the bucket housing 17 , with which the coupling element 16 is screwed onto the threaded section 15 . A closed ball seat 19 is formed in the bucket housing 17 with a longitudinal extension 19 a and a transverse extension 19 b, wherein the longitudinal extension 19 a is greater than the transverse extension 19 b. The insertion opening 20 leads outwards from the ball seat 19 transversely to the longitudinal extent of the receiving chamber 18 . Through the introduction opening 20, a ball pin 22 configured with a ball head 21 having a diameter corresponding to the transverse extension 19b is inserted into the ball seat 19 in a pivotable manner, and the ball pin 22 has a ball extending radially from the ball head 21. The pin 23 is used for fastening to a component, such as a motor vehicle body part.

Starting from the end side opposite the receptacle 18 , two insertion slots 24 extend symmetrically, which open at their ends at the mid-level of the ball seat 19 into the feed-through slots 25 . The lead-through slots 25 are formed symmetrically to one another and open approximately into the transition region between the ball seat 19 and the insertion opening 20 .

The C-shaped elastic clip 26 made of an elastic band of substantially rectangular cross-section has a converging free end 27 corresponding to the converging lead-in notch 25, wherein the cross-section of the elastic band is substantially the same as the cross-section of the lead-through notch 25 Correspondingly, and the thickness of the elastic band substantially corresponds to the width of the introduction notch 24 .

In order to mount the spring clip 26 , the spring clip 26 is introduced with its free end 27 from the end side of the barrel housing 17 through the insertion slot 24 up to the feed-through slot 25 in order to pass through the feed-through slot 25 thereafter. However, it is displaced inwardly until the elastic clip 26 abuts against the bucket housing 17 with its arc-shaped portion 28 connecting the free end 27 in such a way that it surrounds the bucket housing 17 . The free end 27 has such a length that the free end 27 then protrudes into the insertion opening 20 and rests against the ball head 21 in such a way that the ball head 21 is loaded in the ball socket 19 .

In this installed position of the spring clip 26 , the arc-shaped portion 28 of the spring clip 26 is located between locking projections 29 protruding at the outer surface of the bucket housing 17 remote from the insertion opening 20 , the lock The stop lug 29 prevents automatic displacement of the elastic clip 26 .

The ball head 21 is arranged displaceably along the central longitudinal axis A in the ball seat 19 . This is made possible by the fact that on the one hand the ball seat 19 has a longitudinal extension 19a and a transverse extension 19b, wherein the longitudinal extension 19a is greater than the transverse extension 19b and on the other hand the spring clip 26 is configured along the central longitudinal axis A It is correspondingly wide, so that the ball pin 22 can also be displaced along the central longitudinal axis A at the same time.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show another exemplary embodiment of the coupling element 16 , wherein FIG. 3 b shows a section through the coupling element 16 . In this variant, the spring clip 26 has a standard (üblich) width and can thus be displaced along the central longitudinal axis A together with the inserted ball head 21 in the guide slot 25 . The locking cam 29 serves again as a stop for the spring clip 26 in order to limit the axial movement of the spring clip 26 .

A further embodiment of the piston-cylinder unit according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b. At the first end 7 of the cylinder 1 a stop element 30 is arranged on the threaded pin 8 . The locking element 30 has at least one elastic spring tongue 31 which is bent away from the first end 7 of the cylinder 1 . The first end 7 of the cylinder 1 can be pushed into the upper tube 32 together with the stop element 30 screwed on the threaded pin 8 until the at least one elastic tongue 31 snaps into the upper tube 32 with the The elastic tongue 31 is in an associated notch 33 .

Each of the at least one recess 33 is substantially configured as an axial groove or slot such that the cylinder 1 of the gas spring is movable along the central longitudinal axis A. Standard coupling elements 34 , such as ball sockets or hinged eyes, are arranged at the end of the top tube 32 for fastening to a component, such as a motor vehicle body part.

When the embodiment described above is used in a motor vehicle, as shown in FIG. 5 , in a first operating state, the gas spring supports the opening of the engine hood 35 with its cylinder 1 under pressure, e.g. For carrying out repair work in the engine compartment. In a second operating state, for example when a collision with a pedestrian is detected, in which the hood 35 is moved relatively quickly into the protective position by means of an actuator 36 , for example by means of a pyrotechnic actuator, the gas The spring serves to dampen the opening movement of the bonnet 35 into the protective position, thereby preventing excessive vibrations of the bonnet 35 Otherwise, a collision with a pedestrian could occur without sufficient lifting of the hood 35 .

In order to avoid premature damping of the opening movement into the protective position, by means of a special configuration of the coupling elements 9 , 16 or the upper tube 32 , the gas spring can be moved through an idle travel until finally damping by the gas spring can be achieved.

Claims (6)

1. A gas spring with: a central longitudinal axis (A); a first end (7); a cylinder filled with fluid; a piston arranged displaceable in the cylinder, said piston moving said The cylinder is divided into a first cylinder cavity close to the first end (7) and a second cylinder cavity away from the first end (7); and a piston rod (12) arranged at the piston, said piston rod (12) passing through said second cylinder chamber and concentric with the middle longitudinal axis (A) at a second end opposite to the first end (7) in a manner sealed by guiding and sealing means from Leading out of the cylinder, characterized in that a coupling element (9) with a barrel housing (17) is arranged at the first end (7) and at the piston rod (12) A coupling element (16) with a bucket housing (17) is arranged at the free end for receiving a ball head (21), wherein at least one of the two bucket housings (17) comprises a ball seat (19), said ball seat (19) has a longitudinal extension (19a) and a transverse extension (19b), and said longitudinal extension (19a) is greater than said transverse extension (19b), so that when said gas spring operates, Said ball head (21) is arranged in said ball socket (19) in a manner displaceable along said intermediate longitudinal axis (A). 2. The gas spring according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring clip (26) extends into the ball seat (19) to such an extent that its free end (27) passes through the lead-through notch (25) ), that is, make the elastic clip (26) abut against the ball head (21) in such a way that the ball head (21) is loaded in the ball seat (19), wherein the The spring clip (26) is configured so wide along the middle longitudinal axis (A) that the ball pin (22) is arranged in the ball seat (19) along the middle longitudinal axis (A) Displaceable relative to said elastic clip (26). 3. The gas spring according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring clip (26) extends into the ball seat (19) to such an extent that its free end (27) passes through the lead-through notch (25) ), that is, make the elastic clip (26) abut against the ball head (21) in such a way that the ball head (21) is loaded in the ball seat (19), wherein the The spring clip (26) is configured so wide along the middle longitudinal axis (A) that the spring clip (26) is arranged together with the ball pin (22) along the middle longitudinal axis (A) Displaceable relative to said bucket housing (17). 4. A hood unit with a hood pivotably hinged at the vehicle body by means of at least one hinge arrangement, said hood having at least one actuator which can be activated when a collision with a pedestrian is detected, For raising the engine hood into a protective position, characterized in that the gas spring according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is arranged parallel to the actuator. 5. The hood unit according to claim 4, characterized in that the gas spring supports the opening of the hood in a first operating condition corresponding to a maintenance work. 6. The hood unit according to claim 4, characterized in that the gas spring cushions the opening movement of the hood into the protective position in a second operating condition, the second operating condition Corresponds to a monitored collision with a pedestrian.